German tubing manufacturer expands in South Carolina

Fraenkische Industrial Pipes, Inc., a plastic tubing manufacturer headquartered in Königsberg, Germany, recently announced a $5 million investment that will help fund an expansion of its operations in Anderson County, S.C.

The funding will allow the company to add 20,000 square feet of space to its existing facility in Anderson County, which is the company’s North American headquarters

“With that space we will be able to bring in additional equipment,” said Claire Overton-Greer, Fraenkische’s business development manager for North America. “We are going to be bringing in a thermoforming oven, additional extrusion lines and additional assembly stations.”

Fraenkische Industrial Pipes began operating at the Anderson site in 2003 — the site was the company’s first outside of its corporate headquarters, according to a company news release. The Industrial Pipes division produces plastic corrugated tubing and assemblies for the automotive and industrial markets.

The funding will allow the company to invest in additional tooling over the next several years, adding to the portfolio of products that they can produce in the U.S., Overton-Greer said.

There are currently 115 employees at Fraenkische’s Anderson County facility. The expansion will create approximately 50 additional jobs.

“We are very happy to be expanding again in Anderson. We have grown from 20 employees in 2009, at the worst of the great recession, to over 100 employees now.” said Joe Roznowski, president and CEO for Fraenkische North America, in a statement. “Anderson County has been a great partner through the years, supporting our initiatives, and the location here in the Southeast is central to many of our large customers.”